Malaysian National ParksForest Reserves & Recreational Parks

Malaysia is a green country and locals and visitors alike love Malaysian national parks. Over 60% of its total land area is forested. There are not many countries in the world that can beat that.

It is true that Malaysia's forests are being lost at an average rate of around 100,000 hectares per year. At that rate of decline it would take 200 years for all Malaysia's forests to be gone. But there is no danger of that happening. Currently 8% of Malaysia's total land area is classified as protected and a further 8% is set aside as forest reserves. Protected areas include national and state parks, wildlife sanctuaries, wildlife reserves and marine parks.

Malaysia can boast of 25 terrestrial national and state parks (there are a further 40 marine parks) managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks. New areas of outstanding beauty are regularly being added to the list of protected areas, particularly peat swamps, mangrove forests and limestone habitats.

Conservation areas range from the massive Taman Negara, a million plus acres of the world's oldest primary rainforest, to the semi-urban and man-made Taman Wetlands in Putrajaya.

The biodiversity of Malaysia's forests is immense. It is said that there are more species of trees in one hectare of Taman Negara than in the whole of North America. In addition to observing the profuse plant life you can, while on your jungle walks, look out for unusual birds, shy animals and exotic insects.

Here is a list of some of the main Peninsular Malaysian national parks and forest reserves, arranged by state (Sabah and Sarawak parks will be shown on a separate page).

Selangor and the Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya)

. KL Forest Eco Park

. Kanching Forest Reserve

. Kuala Selangor Nature Park

. Malaysia Agricultural Park

. Taman Wetlands Putrajaya

. Botanical Gardens, Putrajaya

. FRIM

. Commonwealth Forest Park

. Paya Indah Wetlands

. Bukit Gasing Forest Park

. Bukit Jalil Park

. Sungai Gabai Waterfall

. Ampang Forest Reserve

. Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve

. Lembah Kiara Park

. Sungai Congkak Recreational Forest

. Bukit Putih

Perak

. Royal Belum State Park

. Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary

. Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve

. Sungkai Wildlife Reserve

. Temenggor Forest Reserve

Penang

. Bukit Panchor State Park

. Penang National Park

. Bukit Mertajam Recreational Park

Kedah

. Pedu Lake

. Ulu Muda Forest Reserve

. Bukit Hijau Recreational Forest

Perlis

. Perlis State Park

. Bukit Ayer Recreational Forest

Kelantan

. Gunung Stong State Park

Terengganu

. Tasik Kenyir

. Bakau Tinggi Recreational Park

. Rantau Abang Turtle Sanctuary

Pahang

. Taman Negara

. Kenong Rimba Park

. Tasik Bera

. Lata Jarum & Pulau Chekas

Johor

. Endau Rompin National Park

. Tanjung Piai National Park

. Pulau Kukup

. Gunung Ledang National Park

Negeri Sembilan

. Lenggeng Recreational Forest

Melaka

. Sungai Udang Recreational Forest

And here is an interactive map I compiled showing all the locations of the above parks. As you can see, wherever you are in Peninsular Malaysia, you are never far from a Malaysian National Park or State Park or Forest Reserve.